The decorating process takes seven hours (Anita Kupcis-Clifford)

Anita writes: “After seeing some videos of cookies being decorated I was intrigued. That was seven years ago and since then I have decorated many cookies. My sense of design for my cookies might be attributed to my years of embroidery, specifically Latvian designs.
My piparkukas are different from my mom’s, hers were rolled very thinly and glazed with egg yolk. I recall when my mother would come for visits with a suitcase full of piparkukas, pirags and pounds of butter. I started making both when my mother was no longer able to do it.”

How long does it take to decorate the piparkūkas?

“Usually two dozen in about 7 hours, that doesn’t include making icing, which takes about 3 depending on how many colours I use!”

Photos from Anita’s personal archive.